Spring suspension for vehicles



ATTORNEY April 3, 192s.

J. A. LUKE SPRING SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 5. 1927 Patented Apr. 3, 192.8.

STATE-.S

f l 1,664,4218 PATENT' o-Frrcr..

j JAMES A. LUKE, DEcEAsEn, LA'IE 0F CLEVELAND, 0I-IIe, BY HOWARD J, LUKE,

ADMINISTRATOR F CLEVELAND, oIIIo.

sPIt-INGsUsPENsIoN FOR VEHICLES. j

Appnbanon med August 1927. serial No; 210,887.

This inventionl relatesV to. improvements in spring suspensionsy for vehicles and has for its object to provide an improved connection which will have shock absorbing effects, as well as an adjustment for varying the tension of the springand' for varying the adjustmentpof the lever by which the spring is connected to the axle and the frame of the vehicle. A further object is to provide an improved connection between: the-,axle and the spring, o-r rather thepivoted trame which carries the spring. A further object is to improve the connection of springs of the cantilever type to ai frame andaxle.

One form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view ofl the axle connect-ion, on: the line 1-1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is abottom view of the spring and connections'. Fig. 3 is a side'view thereof.V

In' the drawings,l 6` indicates one of the frame members and 7. the 'axlecasi1`1g, the device being `particularly adapted for rear suspension. A bracket 8 is fixed tothe trame, and pivoted to the bracket by pinV 9,

is a vertically swinging arm or frame 10, which acts as a distance piece, and secured to the side of this arm, as by rivets 11, is a companion arm or piece-'12.which isspaeed from the arm 10 and extends parallel thereto, and the rear ends of both arms are connected to the axle clip by a pivot pin 13.

The axle clip consists of a bot-tom plate 14 having a pivot lug or projection 15 which tits between the rear ends of the arms 10 and 12 and through which the connecting pin 13 extends. The rear end of each arm 10 and 12 has a linger 16 which extends under the plate 14 and is adapted to stop against the same to limit the upward movement at the joint 13, Under all conditions the arms 10 and 12 form a radiusy rod or connection which holds the rear axle at a certain distance from thefront connection,

` and forms a thrust bar that takes the driving thrust of the wheels.

The leaf spring 17 is positioned between the arms 10 and 12, and is retained thereby Y against lateral distortion.V It is fastened to the arms atits front end by a clip consisting of top and bottom plates 18 and 19 and connecting bolts 20, embracing the end of the springA between the arms. The tension of the spring may be varied, by a clip consist-ing of a plate 21 resting on top of the spring and connected by a pair of cyebolts 22 to' a cross bolt 23 under the arms 10 and 12, the eye-bolts receiving nuts 24 which may be adjusted to vary the pressure or tension of the spring. This tension adjusting clip is preferably located at a distance from the fixed clip about a fourth the lengthof the spring. Y

The carrier or lower leaf of the spring isr connected by a link 25 to the short arm ot' a.. lever 26, the leverage being adjustable by connecting the link atone of a. series of holes 27 in the endl of the lever. The lever is ful'crumed by a pin 28 between a' pair of caps 29 forming part of the rearaxle clip, and these caps are lclamped to the axle casing by apair of`U-bolts'30 which span the casing and, extend through lholes inthe bottom plate 14 wherev they are Vfastened by nuts 31.l The rearv en'd of the leverv26 is connected by shackles or links 32 to thev rear curved end of" the body frame 6.

rUnder weight on the body frame 6 the lever 26 rocks on its pivot 28 andthe spring 17 is placed under tension, thereby supporting the sprung weight of the vehicle as Well as absorbing the rise and fall of the axle incident toy road shocks. The spring is tree Ytovibrate between the arms 110 and r12,'but ythese arms preserve the relative distance bef.-

tween the front connection with Vthe frame and the axle, so that the relative position of the axle with respect'to the longitudinal axis 'of the vehicle does not change'and the arms take the 'driving thrust, no part ot which is sustained by the spring, the swinging link 25 permitting elongation of the spring incident to its vibration. The pivotal connection at 13 permits the joint to break downwardly, on the rebound, but 9 the fingers 16 stop. against the plate 14 on impact or under excessive Weight, which is then taken up by the spring and its lever CIK proved spring suspension for springs of the type referred to.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a body frame and axle, of a thrust frame pivotally connected between the body frame and the axle, a spring fixed to the thrust frame, and a lever and link connection between the body frame and the spring, the lever being fulcrunied upon the axle.

2. The combination stated in claim 1*..the connection between the thrust frame and the spring being adjustable to vvary the tension of the spring. y

3. The combination stated in claiin l, the connection between the lever and the spring being adjustable to vary the leverage.

4E. The combination of a body franie,`an axle, a thrust frarne pivotally connected at its front end to the body frame and at its rear end to the axle, the thrust frame having a projection at its rear endl engageable under the axle when the axle rises to a certain extent, a spring ixed to the thrust frame, and a lever connecting the spring, the axle and the body frame.

5. The combination of a body frame, an axle, a thrust frame pivotally connected between the body frarne and the axle, a spring fixed at one end to the thrust frame, an adjustable tension clip between the spring and the thrust fraine, and a lever and link connection between the end of the spring' and the body frame, the lever being fulcruined on the axle. v

6. In a rear spring suspension for vehicles, the combination of a body frame, an axle casing, a thrust frame pivoted at its front end to the body frame and at its rear end to the axle casing, a leaf spring fixed at axle, said thrustY frame having parallel arms,

a spring fixed to the thrust frame and extending between said arms, and a lever and linlrconnection between the free end' of the spring and the body frame, the lever being fulcruined onthe axle.

8. The combination of a body frame, an

axle casing, a clip on the casing, a thrust frame pivoted at its front end to the body frame and at its rear end to said clip, a

spring fixed to the thrust fraine and extending parallel thereto, and a leverfulcruined on the clipand connected at its opposite ends to the spring and body fraine respectively. Y Y

9. The combination of a vehicle body v frame, an axle casing, a-clip on kthe casing including a bottoni platev and a cap, a thrust fraine pivoted at its front 4end to the body frame and at its rear end to said bottoin plate and having'a projecting finger' adapted to Contact with the underside of the'bottorn plate, a lever fulcrunied on the cap, and link connections between the lever and the spring and the lever and the body frame. s

In testimony whereof, I do afix any signature.

HOWARD J. LUKE,

Administrator 0j estate of J ames'A. Luke;

deceased. 

